Roof jack apparatus and method of use

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for repairing or installing roof coverings that comprises a support strap that is configured to be spaced away from the roof to allow install of the roofing materials. The support strap has an attachment member for securing said support strap to said roof on a first end. The support strap has a platform mount configured to receive a horizontal support member at a second end. A contact member rests against a finished portion of said roof beneath the second end of said support strap to support the weight of workers without damaging previously finished work.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

BACKGROUND

Structures have had roofing materials that needed replacement from timeto time to prevent water intrusion since the presence of a thatch roof,but the most common roofing item on a pitched roof is the shingle. Inthe early period of roof repair of structures having pitched roofs up toand including today's workers they simply just climbed up and fixed theroof without anything but the minimum tools to attach the roofingmaterial. Working on a roof without scaffolding provides no safety on apitched roof and leads to slower working conditions to prevent fallingor lining up shingles and potential damage to previously finished work.

As a response complicated scaffolding devices have been designed andused, which addresses issues regarding safety and stable workingpositions. However, the scaffolding when attached prevents access toportions of the roof necessitating either multiple repositioning orfinishing the final portions after removal of the scaffolding withoutsupport. Also on large pitched roofs as portions of the roof werefinished moving of the scaffolding was very time consuming and could bedangerous in performing because of the complexity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A roof jack apparatus comprising: a support strap having a first end anda second end, wherein said at least one support strap has a centerportion that is configured to be spaced away from the roof; anattachment member positioned at said first end of said support strap forsecuring said support strap to said roof; and a contact member thatrests against said roof, wherein said contact member is affixed to saidsecond end of said support strap.

A roof jack apparatus comprising: at least two support straps eachhaving a first end and a second end, wherein said at least two supportstraps have a center portion that is configured to be spaced away fromthe roof; an attachment member positioned at said first end of each saidsupport strap for securing each said support strap to said roof; aplatform mount configured to receive a horizontal support member betweenat least two said support straps, said platform mount affixed to eachsaid support strap adjacent said second end; a base shoe having a bottomsurface, said base shoe attached to the second end of the support strap.

A method of using a roof jack apparatus comprising: providing at leasttwo support straps each having a first end and a second end, whereinsaid at least two support straps have a center portion that isconfigured to be spaced away from the roof, an attachment memberpositioned at said first end of said support strap for securing each ofsaid at least two support straps to said roof, a platform mountconfigured to receive a horizontal support member, said mount affixed tosaid support strap adjacent said second end, and a contact member thatrests against said roof, wherein said contact member is affixed to saidsecond end of said support strap; securing each said attachment memberof said at least two support straps to the roof; resting each saidcontact member against the roof; and affixing the horizontal supportmember onto the platform mount between said at least two support straps.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following more particular description of embodimentsof the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following detailed description are exemplary, butare not restrictive, of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the present invention will best be understood from adetailed description of the invention and a preferred embodiment thereofselected for the purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 displays a side view of the device attached to a roof;

FIG. 2 displays a side view of the device;

FIG. 3 displays a top view of the device;

FIG. 4 displays a perspective view of the device installed on a roof asa pair to support a horizontal bar;

FIG. 5 displays a side view of the support device;

FIG. 6 displays a top view of the attachment device;

FIG. 7 displays a top view of the base; and

FIG. 8 displays a cross-sectional side view of the base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will beshown and described in detail, it should be understood that variouschanges and modifications may be made without departing from the scopeof the appended claims. The scope of the present invention will in noway be limited to the number of constituting components, the materialsthereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc., andare disclosed simply as an example of an embodiment. The features andadvantages of the present invention are illustrated in detail in theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to likeelements throughout the drawings.

As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, asused in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms“a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearlydictates otherwise.

A roof jack apparatus 100 as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a support strap110 having a first end 115 and a second end 120, wherein the supportstrap 110 has a center portion 125 that is configured to be spaced awayfrom the roof 200. The support strap 110 is made of a material that hasa high strength to weight ratio to make lifting, moving and positioningon the roof 200 as easy as possible and should be sufficiently strongenough to support the weight of several men either in compression ortension. The support strap 110 may be made of tubular steel, aluminum,wood, fiberglass, carbon fiber composites, high strength polymermaterials or any other material that has a high strength to weightratio. The support strap 110 may be produced in lengths of four to eightfeet measured from the tip of the first end 115 to the tip of the secondend 120 for use on variously sized roofs 200.

To prevent unwanted movement of the support strap 100 while on the roof200 an attachment member 130 is positioned at the first end 115 of thesupport strap 110. The attachment member 130 includes at least onemember or hole therein for securing the support strap to the roof 200. Ascrew 133 may be used for easiest removal and highest strength removableattachment, but any other fastening device 133 that may pass through thehole 131 and embed into an unfinished portion of the roof 200 ideallythrough a framing member 210 beneath the roof 200 to maximize holding ofthe attachment member 130 to the roof 200 is also sufficient.

The worker is supported on a platform 140 affixed to the support strap110 adjacent the second end 120. The weight of the worker is thentransferred into a contact member 146 that rests against a finishedportion of roof 210, wherein the contact member 146 is also affixed tosaid second end 120 of said support strap 110. In FIG. 2, the contactmember 146 is configured to bear the weight of at least one or moreworkers against the finished portion of the roof 210 without causingdamage and optionally may include a padding material 150 attached tosaid contact member 146. The padding material 150 may be positionedbetween the contact member 146 and the finished portion of the roof 210preventing damage from the weight of the workers by spreading the loadand also absorbing any high stress points between the contact member 146and the padding material 150. The padding material 150 may be anycompressible and non abrasive material such as foam, felt, rubber, wovenstrands, fur, wool, cotton, fabric or other material that preventsdamage when weight is placed upon it from workers. The roof jackapparatus 100 may have the contact member 150 that is attached to a basemember 146 that is mechanically affixed to said second end 120 of saidsupport strap 110 and said base member 146 has a pad 150 affixed.

The platform 140 can be modified to be a bracket 145 that is configuredto accept a horizontal member 180 as shown in FIG. 4 to be placedbetween one or more devices. The bracket 145 may include a brace 150between said second end 120 of said support strap 110 and said platformmount 146 to increase the load bearing capacity of the device. Dependingon the circumstances such as the size of the roof it is possible thattwo or more workers may be positioned simultaneously on the horizontalmember 180.

The roof jack apparatus 100 is spaced away from the unfinished portionof the roof 200 to allow workers access to the surface without wastingtime from unnecessary repositioning of the scaffolding as may berequired with other devices. A distance of 1-4 inches is desired toprovide adequate clearance to position and attach roof tiles to form afinished roof 210. In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 to provide thedesired offset to allow for proper working clearance a first angledmember 185 may be positioned adjacent said first end 115 of said supportstrap 110 and a second angled member 188 may be positioned adjacent saidsecond end 120 of said support strap 110 wherein the angled members 185,188 are configured to space center 125 of bar from said roof 200. Theangled members 185, 188 are produced either by welding two pieces at theproper angle or so that the center 125 of the support strap 110 may beproperly offset from the roof 200. The offset through bending or moldinga single member for the support strap 110 may include a first member 186positioned adjacent said first end 115 of said support strap 110 and asecond member 189 positioned adjacent said second end 120 of saidsupport strap 110 wherein the members 186, 189 may be angled 45 degreesand configured to space center of bar 125 from said roof 200 at leasttwo inches.

The roof jack apparatus 100 may have at least one hole 131 or attachmentpoint in said first end 115 of said support strap 110, wherein saidattachment member 133 is a mechanical fastener dimensioned to passsubstantially through said at least one hole 131 into said roof 200. Theroof jack apparatus 100 has a length of between 4-8 feet long betweenthe first end 115 and a second end 120 of the support strap 110. Theroof jack apparatus 100 may have the first end 115 and the second end125 of the support strap 110 are offset by at least two to four inchesand said center section 125 is substantially parallel to the roof 200.

A roof jack apparatus 300 of a second embodiment as shown in FIG. 4comprises at least two support straps 100 of FIG. 1 with each strap 100having a first end 115 and a second end 120, wherein the at least twosupport straps 100 have a center portion 125 that is configured to bespaced away from the roof 200. The apparatus 300 has an attachmentmember 130 positioned at said first end 115 of each said support strap110 for securing each of the support straps 100 to the roof 200. Theattachment member 130 may be releasably attached to the roof 100 thoughan underlying roof support for maximum holding power and then unscrewedor removed for repositioning or final removal without undue force.

The apparatus 300 includes a platform mount 145 configured to receive ahorizontal support member 180 between at least two said support straps100, said platform mount 145 affixed to each said support strap 110adjacent said second end 120. The horizontal support member 180 may be aplank sturdy enough to not deflect when two or more workers are in thecenter 181. Also optionally included is a base shoe 146 having a bottomsurface 147, said base shoe 146 attached to the second end 120 of thesupport strap 110. The base of the roof jack apparatus 300 may furthercompromise a padding material 150 attached to said contact member orbase member 147, wherein said padding is positioned between said contactmember 146 and the finished portion of the roof 210.

The roof jack apparatus 300 may further comprise a brace 156 betweensaid second end 120 of said support strap 110 and said platform mount140. This brace 156 prevents unwanted flexure of the mount 140 whenmultiple workers are standing on the horizontal brace 180. Thehorizontal section 180 may also be lighter substitutes for the plank,such as a composite material for example a fiber reinforced composite orany other material that will withstand several hundred pounds dynamicload at the center 181 without substantial deflection while stillmaintaining low overall weight.

The roof jack apparatus 300 may further comprise a first angled member185 positioned adjacent said first end 115 of said support strap 110 anda second angled member 188 positioned adjacent said second end 120 ofsaid support strap 110 wherein the angled members are configured tospace center 125 of bar or strap 110 to be substantially parallel fromsaid roof 200.

The roof jack apparatus 300 further comprises at least one hole 131 orother attachment mechanism in the first end 115 of said support strap110, wherein the attachment member 133 is a mechanical fastener such asa screw, nail, rivet, hook interlock or any other mechanical means ofattaching to the roof that can be removed without wasting excessivetime.

The roof jack apparatus 300 may also further comprise a first member 185positioned adjacent said first end 115 of said support strap 110 and asecond member 188 positioned adjacent said second end of said supportstrap wherein the members 185, 188 are angled to at least 45 degrees orto better match the roof pitch and configured to space center 125 of bar110 from said roof 200 at least two to four inches. The roof jackapparatus 300 also may be configured where the first end 115 and asecond end 120 of the support strap 110 are spaced between 4-8 feetapart. The members 185 may be angled 133 to be around 130 degrees.

An example of a roof jack apparatus for use on a typical sized pitchedroof 400 is shown on FIG. 5-8 that comprises at least two support straps110 each having a first end 115 and a second end 120, wherein said atleast two support straps 110 have a center portion 125 that isconfigured to be spaced away from the roof 200 at least three inches. InFIG. 5, the parallel center 125 has a length 410 of 85 inches that canrange from 48 to 96 inches. The member 185 where it is attached to thecenter 110 has an angle 420 of about 135 degrees that may range from 120to 150 degrees, and a length of about 5 inches and at least sufficientto provide at least 3 inches of lift from the roof 200 for the center110. The member 185 where it is attached to the first end 115 has anangle 430 of about 130 degrees that may range from 120 to 150 degrees.The member 188 at the second end 120 may have an angle 440 of about 135degrees formed between them and have a range of 120 to 150 degrees. Atthe second end 120 the platform 140 is attached to the member 188 at anangle 450 of about 90 degrees or others that would place the horizontalsupport 180 oriented properly to the ground for stability of theworkers.

As shown in FIG. 6, the straps 110 have an attachment member 130positioned at said first end 115 of each said support strap 110. In oneexample there may be three holes 466 of ⅜″ diameter are bore into theattachment member 130 for securing each said support strap 110 to saidroof 200 with three lag or other type bolts. The attachment member 130as shown in FIG. 6 has a length 460 of about 6 inches, but may rangefrom ½ to 60 inches long and may form an angle 465 of 130 degrees andranging from 110-150 degrees.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a platform mount 140 may be configured toreceive a horizontal support member 180 between at least two saidsupport straps 110, said platform mount 140 is affixed to each of thesupport straps 110 adjacent to the second end 120. The platform mount140 is configured to accept a board or horizontal support member 180 ofsufficient strength to stand on that may be 4-12 feet in lengthdepending on the material. The support 156 may be a length 485 of 7inches or an appropriate length to restrain the horizontal supportmember 180.

A base shoe 146 having a bottom surface, said base shoe 146 attached tothe second end 120 of the support strap 110. The base 146 may be steeland welded to the strap 110 if both are steel or it may be mechanicallyfashioned 486 if one or both are made of a non-ferrous material. Theoffset 483 is the approximate distance that the center 110 is offset orraised from the unfinished roof surface 200. The platform 140 is affixedto and rests upon the base 146 that may be directly in contact with thefinished portion of the roof 210. As shown in FIG. 7, the base 146 has acenter 477 that has measurement to center 480 of about 6 inches that mayrange about 3-18 inches. The mounting hole 486 is shaped equidistantfrom the center at the midpoint 470 of about 3 inches that may rangefrom 1-6 inches.

A method of using a roof jack apparatus comprising providing at leasttwo support straps each having a first end and a second end, whereinsaid at least two support straps have a center portion that isconfigured to be spaced away from the roof, an attachment memberpositioned at said first end of said support strap for securing each ofsaid at least two support straps to said roof, a platform mountconfigured to receive a horizontal support member, said mount affixed tosaid support strap adjacent said second end, and a contact member thatrests against said roof, wherein said contact member is affixed to saidsecond end of said support strap; securing each said attachment memberof said at least two support straps to the roof; resting each saidcontact member against the roof; and affixing the horizontal supportmember onto the platform mount between said at least two support straps.

A method of using the roof jack apparatus may also comprise standingupon said horizontal support member to access the roof underneath thecenter portion of the at least two support straps. While standing uponthe jack or horizontal member it is possible either to remove oldroofing material or to add new roofing material. A method of using theroof jack apparatus may also comprise affixing a roofing material to theroof between the at least two support straps. A method of using the roofjack apparatus may also comprise removing said at least two supportstraps from the roof to complete application of new roofing materials.The roof jack apparatus may be removed by unscrewing and moved orrepositioned to finish roofing on an unfinished portion.

Various modifications and variations of the described apparatus andmethods of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Althoughthe invention has been described in connection with specificembodiments, outlined above, it should be understood that the inventionshould not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Variouschanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the following claims.

1. A roof jack apparatus comprising: a support strap having a first endand a second end, wherein said at least one support strap has a centerportion that is configured to be spaced away from the roof; anattachment member positioned at said first end of said support strap forsecuring said support strap to said roof; a platform affixed to saidsupport strap adjacent said second end; and a contact member that restsagainst said roof, wherein said contact member is affixed to said secondend of said support strap.
 2. The roof jack apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising: a padding material attached to said contact member, whereinsaid padding is positioned between said contact member and the finishedportion of the roof.
 3. The roof jack apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising: a brace between said second end of said support strap andsaid platform mount.
 4. The roof jack apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising: a first angled member positioned adjacent said first end ofsaid support strap; and a second angled member positioned adjacent saidsecond end of said support strap wherein the angled members areconfigured to space center of bar from said roof.
 5. The roof jackapparatus of claim 1 further comprising: at least one hole in said firstend of said support strap, wherein said attachment member is amechanical fastener dimensioned to pass substantially through said atleast one hole into said roof.
 6. The roof jack apparatus of claim 1further comprising: a first member positioned adjacent said first end ofsaid support strap; and a second member positioned adjacent said secondend of said support strap wherein the members are angled 45 degrees andconfigured to space center of bar from said roof at least four inches.7. The roof jack apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first end and a secondend of the support strap are spaced between 4-8 feet apart.
 8. The roofjack apparatus of claim 1 wherein the contact member is a base membermechanically affixed to said second end of said support strap and saidbase member has a pad affixed.
 9. The roof jack apparatus of claim 1wherein the first end and a second end of the support strap are offsetat least four inches and said center section is parallel to the roof.10. A roof jack apparatus comprising: at least two support straps eachhaving a first end and a second end, wherein said at least two supportstraps have a center portion that is configured to be spaced away fromthe roof; an attachment member positioned at said first end of each saidsupport strap for securing each said support strap to said roof; aplatform mount configured to receive a horizontal support member betweenat least two said support straps, said platform mount affixed to eachsaid support strap adjacent said second end; and a base shoe having abottom surface, said base shoe attached to the second end of the supportstrap.
 11. The roof jack apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: apadding material attached to said contact member, wherein said paddingis positioned between said contact member and the finished portion ofthe roof.
 12. The roof jack apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: abrace between said second end of said support strap and said platformmount.
 13. The roof jack apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: afirst angled member positioned adjacent said first end of said supportstrap; and a second angled member positioned adjacent said second end ofsaid support strap wherein the angled members are configured to spacecenter of bar from said roof.
 14. The roof jack apparatus of claim 10further comprising: at least one hole in said first end of said supportstrap, wherein said attachment member is a mechanical fastener.
 15. Theroof jack apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: a first memberpositioned adjacent said first end of said support strap; and a secondmember positioned adjacent said second end of said support strap whereinthe members are angled 45 degrees and configured to space center of barfrom said roof at least four inches.
 16. The roof jack apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein the first end and a second end of the support strap arespaced between 4-8 feet apart.
 17. A method of using a roof jackapparatus comprising: providing at least two support straps each havinga first end and a second end, wherein said at least two support strapshave a center portion that is configured to be spaced away from theroof, an attachment member positioned at said first end of said supportstrap for securing each of said at least two support straps to saidroof, a platform mount configured to receive a horizontal supportmember, said mount affixed to said support strap adjacent said secondend, and a contact member that rests against said roof, wherein saidcontact member is affixed to said second end of said support strap;securing each said attachment member of said at least two support strapsto the roof; resting each said contact member against the roof; andaffixing the horizontal support member onto the platform mount betweensaid at least two support straps.
 18. A method of using the roof jackapparatus of claim 17 further comprising: standing upon said horizontalsupport member to access the roof underneath the center portion of theat least two support straps.
 19. A method of using the roof jackapparatus of claim 17 further comprising: affixing a roofing material tothe roof between the at least two support straps.
 20. A method of usingthe roof jack apparatus of claim 17 further comprising: removing said atleast two support straps from the roof to complete application of newroofing materials.